When Lin Xiao returned to his dormitory, it was already late at night. He did not turn on the lights. Instead, he walked straight to the window and pulled back the curtains. The base's lights glittered faintly in the darkness, while welding sparks from the repair crews still flashed in the distance like fireflies that would never go out. He remembered Fletcher's words—the investigators from headquarters might come in a week, a month, or even tomorrow. Time had become uncertain, like a blade hanging over his head, with no telling when it would fall. He needed to act faster, to build a shield thick enough before the blade came down. The team had been formed, and the authority had been granted. What came next was true integration: planting the seeds of an idea, cultivating new roots in this rotten soil. He turned around and activated the data terminal. The cold glow of the screen lit his face. Surveillance records, personnel files, supply manifests—countless streams of information scrolled across the screen. What he needed to do was find the fish hidden within this sea of data.
At six in the morning, the base's wake-up call sounded on schedule.
Lin Xiao had already washed up and was standing before the mirror straightening his uniform. His dark-gray Hydra combat suit bore a new armband on the left sleeve—a black shield-shaped insignia with crossed swords and a serpent at its center, the words "Deputy Security Supervisor" embroidered beneath in silver thread. The badge was brand new, its edges still somewhat sharp, leaving a clear outline against the fabric.
He reached up to adjust his collar, his fingers brushing the skin of his neck. There was a faint scratch there, left by a sample creature's tentacle brushing against him in the laboratory the previous night. It had already scabbed over, rough beneath his touch.
At exactly seven o'clock, Lin Xiao pushed open the door to his new office.
The room was on the western side of the command center. It had originally belonged to some staff officer, but it had now been cleared out for his use. It was not large, roughly twenty square meters, but its location was excellent—the windows faced east, allowing the morning sunlight to spill in and spread a patch of gold across the floor. The air carried the scent of fresh paint mixed with the lingering odor of disinfectant.
There was a solid wood desk in the office, already equipped with a data terminal, an encrypted communicator, and several documents. A row of metal filing cabinets stood against the wall, their doors tightly shut, their keyholes gleaming bronze. There was also a small conference table in the corner, surrounded by six chairs.
Lin Xiao sat down behind the desk. The chair was leather, sinking slightly beneath him and far more comfortable than the stiff military chair in his dormitory. He activated the data terminal, and the screen lit up with the login interface for B-level authorization.
He entered the password, and the system verified it.
More than a dozen windows appeared across the desktop—base personnel rosters, supply inventories, surveillance system logs, recent mission reports. There was a massive amount of information, but Lin Xiao's gaze quickly settled on several key files.
He clicked open "Special Operations Team—Staffing Application" and began filling it out.
At eight-thirty, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and five people entered the office one after another.
Su Ying entered first. She had changed into black tactical gear, with an armed belt around her waist carrying a Glock pistol and two tactical daggers. Her hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and though she wore no makeup, her eyes were sharp as honed blades. Sunlight streamed in behind her, casting a crisp shadow across the floor.
Wolf followed behind her. He was a tall, thin man in his thirties, wearing black-rimmed glasses. His eyes behind the lenses were always half-lidded, as though he were observing something no one else could see. He wore ordinary gray work clothes and carried a black metal case labeled "Electronic Equipment—Precision Instruments."
Nightingale entered third. She looked barely past twenty, with short hair dyed deep purple and three silver studs in her ears. She wore a loose hoodie and ripped jeans, completely out of place in the office's serious atmosphere, but dense lines of code scrolled across the tablet screen in her hands.
Grey Falcon was a short, powerfully built middle-aged man with a scar running from the corner of his left eye to the corner of his mouth. He wore the base Logistics Department uniform and carried a folder. As he entered, he instinctively swept his gaze around the room, as though assessing its security.
Anna Koch came last. She was still wearing her white lab coat, though she had put a dark jacket over it. Her complexion remained somewhat pale, but her eyes were steadier than they had been yesterday. She clutched a thick notebook in her arms, her fingertips whitening from her tight grip.
The five of them stopped beside the conference table.
Lin Xiao rose from behind his desk and walked over to the table. The sunlight fell directly on his face, and he could feel its warmth against his skin.
"Sit."
The six of them took their seats around the table. Chair legs scraped lightly against the floor.
Lin Xiao opened the folder on the table. Inside were five printed documents. He pushed one toward each person.
"These are your appointment letters and duty descriptions," he said. "Read them first. Ask questions afterward."
The room fell quiet, broken only by the soft rustling of pages turning.
Su Ying looked over her document. Its title read "Action Team Leader—Duties and Authority," followed by more than a dozen entries: responsible for team combat training, drafting combat plans, commanding field operations, evaluating team members' combat capabilities... Her finger paused over the line "commanding field operations" before she continued reading.
Wolf's document was titled "Communications and Electronic Warfare Supervisor." His responsibilities included establishing an independent communications network, monitoring communications signals inside and outside the base, conducting electronic interference and counter-interference, and maintaining encryption equipment... He adjusted his glasses, pulled a pen from his pocket, and circled "establishing an independent communications network."
Nightingale's document was titled "Cybersecurity and Information Warfare Supervisor." Her duties leaned more heavily toward the technical side: inspecting the base network for security vulnerabilities, establishing firewalls and anti-tracking systems, conducting network infiltration and information theft, and analyzing enemy digital traces... She looked at those terms, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, as though she had found an interesting toy.
Grey Falcon's document was titled "Logistics and Liaison Supervisor." Its contents were broad: managing the team's supply allocations, maintaining internal relationships within the base, gathering intelligence from every department, and coordinating cooperation with other units... His thick fingers passed over the page, his gaze focused as if memorizing every detail.
Anna's document was titled "Medical Support and Technical Analysis Supervisor." Her responsibilities had been deliberately restricted to safe areas: providing battlefield medical support, analyzing non-biological technical materials, managing team health records, and assisting with non-hazardous samples... When she saw the qualifiers "non-biological" and "non-hazardous," her shoulders visibly relaxed.
Five minutes later, Lin Xiao spoke.
"Finished reading?"
Everyone nodded.
"Good." Lin Xiao leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. "Starting today, we are a team. Your duties have been made clear, but there are several points I need to emphasize."
His gaze swept across every face.
"First, efficiency. I do not need you reporting to me eight times a day, but any task assigned to you must be completed within the allotted time. If you encounter difficulties, say so in advance. Do not wait until the last minute."
"Second, confidentiality. No information within this team may be disclosed to any third party. That includes your duties, our missions, and certain... ideas I am about to discuss."
"Third, trust." Lin Xiao paused. "I know you come from different backgrounds and have different experiences. But within this team, you must trust each other. The action team needs to know what the communications team is doing. Logistics needs to understand the cybersecurity team's progress. If information does not flow, then a team is nothing more than loose sand."
He looked at Su Ying.
"Su Ying, action team training begins this afternoon. Within three days, I need you to complete combat capability assessments for every member of this team—including yourself. Draft a basic training plan focused on teamwork and squad tactics."
Su Ying nodded. "Understood."
"Wolf." Lin Xiao turned toward the tall, thin man. "Your first task is to establish a communications network independent of the base's main system within forty-eight hours. The frequencies must be encrypted, the signals concealed, and coverage must include at least the base's core area and a five-kilometer radius around it."
Wolf adjusted his glasses. "There isn't enough equipment."
"Make a list and give it to Grey Falcon," Lin Xiao said. "Grey Falcon, you will handle supply coordination. If the base inventory does not have it, find another channel. The budget is within B-level authorization, but remember—keep it low-profile."
Grey Falcon touched the scar on his face. "Understood, sir."
"Nightingale." Lin Xiao looked at the purple-haired girl. "You have two tasks. First, conduct a full inspection of the base's existing network security systems and identify every vulnerability and potential backdoor. Second, begin establishing our own firewall and monitoring programs. I want to know every piece of information moving through the base network."
Nightingale's eyes lit up. "Can I plant tracking code?"
"You can, but it must be hidden," Lin Xiao said. "If you get caught, you can explain it yourself."
The girl smiled, revealing a canine tooth.
Finally, Anna.
"Doctor Anna." Lin Xiao's voice softened somewhat. "Your top priority is to organize all research materials in the laboratory—except anything related to biological samples. I need you to establish a technical archive, categorize everything, and mark the key information. At the same time, you will be responsible for the team's routine health checks, once a week."
Anna tightened her grip on the notebook in her hands. "I'll do it well."
"Good." Lin Xiao sat up straight. "Now get to work. At two this afternoon, we will hold our first progress meeting here."
The five people stood and left.
The office fell silent again. The sunlight had shifted onto the filing cabinets, where the metal surfaces reflected blinding patches of light. Lin Xiao returned to his desk, activated the data terminal, and entered the base's main database.
A permission confirmation window appeared on the screen.
[B-level authorization activated. Accessible: Personnel files (all), mission records (all), surveillance logs (all), supply manifests (all), communications records (encrypted sections require secondary verification)]
Lin Xiao clicked "Personnel Files."
The list expanded, displaying more than three hundred scrolling names. Each was followed by a position, department, date of employment, and recent performance evaluation...
His fingers moved across the touchpad as his eyes scanned rapidly.
He was looking for people like these—those with genuine talent who had been pushed aside, those dissatisfied but still worth winning over, or those who simply needed a little "hope" to change sides.
The first name entered his view.
Eric Sanders, Technical Department Level Two Engineer, thirty-two years old. Specialty: electronic equipment repair and modification. Recent evaluation: low work efficiency, strained relations with colleagues. Note: submitted equipment upgrade proposals multiple times, all rejected.
Lin Xiao opened the detailed file.
The photo showed a bespectacled man with messy hair and tired eyes. His record showed that he had graduated with outstanding grades from the electrical engineering department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but had never found success after joining Hydra. In his most recent mission report, his supervisor had written: "Engineer Sanders lacks team spirit and is excessively fixated on impractical technological fantasies."
Lin Xiao wrote down the name in his notebook and marked it: "Approachable."
The second name.
Lena Walker, intelligence analyst, twenty-eight years old. Specialty: data mining and pattern recognition. Recent evaluation: excellent work performance, but withdrawn personality and refusal to participate in departmental social activities. Note: accurately predicted three enemy operations, but none of her recommendations were adopted.
The woman in the file photo had long dark-brown hair and an indifferent expression. Her record was spotless—a PhD in mathematics from the University of Chicago, recruited directly by Hydra after graduation. Yet in evaluations over the past half year, her "teamwork ability" had repeatedly been rated "unqualified."
Lin Xiao wrote her name down.
The third name.
Marcus Reed, captain of Security Team Three, thirty-five years old. Specialty: close-quarters combat, squad command. Recent evaluation: loyal and reliable, but has repeatedly questioned superior orders. Note: during last night's laboratory incident, his squad had the lowest casualty rate, but he refused to carry out the "indiscriminate Purification" order.
The man in the photo had a square face and resolute eyes. His record showed ten years of special forces service before joining Hydra three years ago. In last night's action report, he had written: "When friend and foe cannot be distinguished, firing blindly will only cause unnecessary casualties."
Lin Xiao drew two lines beneath the name.
He continued browsing.
Forty minutes later, eleven names had been written in his notebook. They covered technical work, intelligence, combat, and logistics. These people all had one thing in common—they were capable, but could not receive the positions they deserved within this system.
Or rather, the Hydra system itself did not need too many people who "had ideas."
It only needed obedience.
Lin Xiao closed the personnel files and opened "Surveillance Logs."
The second thing he needed to do was clean up the data.
Although last night's incident had ultimately been classified as "an accidental leak caused by a sample creature riot," too many details would not withstand scrutiny. For example, why had he been able to locate the Purification system control room so accurately? Why had Su Ying and Wolf survived in that area? Why had those sample creatures collectively retreated at the final moment...
If headquarters investigators saw those details, they would raise unnecessary questions.
So they needed to be changed.
Lin Xiao brought up the surveillance records from the laboratory area between 21:00 and 23:00 the previous night.
Sixteen split-screen feeds appeared. Some were black—the cameras had been destroyed. Some were filled with static—there had been signal interference. A few were barely visible, but their angles were limited.
He selected Camera Three's recording, timestamped 21:47.
On the screen, Lin Xiao, Su Ying, and Wolf were running down a corridor. Ahead was the sample cultivation area, while tentacled creatures chased them from behind. Lin Xiao suddenly stopped and pointed toward a door on the left.
The caption read: [Target individual points toward unknown area]
Lin Xiao clicked the edit button.
He deleted the caption and entered a new one: [Target individual identifies emergency exit signage and directs team members to evacuate]
Saved.
The next recording was at 22:15.
The corridor outside the Purification system control room. Lin Xiao was operating the access panel while Su Ying and Wolf stood guard on either side. The panel lights were flashing, but the footage did not clearly show the specific procedure.
The caption read: [Target individual attempts to breach access control system, method unknown]
Lin Xiao changed it to: [Target individual uses standard emergency code B-7 to open access control, in accordance with security procedures]
Saved.
Like that, he edited the footage one screen at a time.
He changed "abnormal" to "normal," "unknown" to "known," and "coincidence" to "plan."
Two hours later, every surveillance record from last night's laboratory incident had become a flawless accident response report—an accidental sample leak, a well-trained team successfully controlling the situation according to standard emergency protocols, with no suspicious points and no anomalies.
At least, that was how it appeared in the database.
Lin Xiao closed the surveillance logs and rubbed his temples. His eyes felt dry; the screen's light was too harsh.
He stood and walked to the window. It was already past ten in the morning, and people moved busily through the base courtyard. Soldiers trained, technical personnel carried equipment, and repair crews continued fixing last night's damage. Everything appeared orderly, as though last night's brush with death had never happened.
But Lin Xiao knew that some things had already changed.
He turned back to the desk and activated his communicator.
"Grey Falcon, come to my office."
Five minutes later, Grey Falcon pushed open the door.
"Sir."
Lin Xiao pushed the notebook toward him and opened it to the page containing the names.
"These eleven people. I want detailed information on them. Family backgrounds, financial situations, social relationships, recent movements. The more detailed, the better."
Grey Falcon took the notebook, his thick fingers brushing over the page.
"When do you need it?"
"By tomorrow afternoon," Lin Xiao said. "Also, prepare a batch of supplies—high-quality individual rations, medical kits, and spare parts for communications equipment. Prepare enough for fifteen people. Store them separately, and do not enter them into the base's central inventory."
Grey Falcon looked up at Lin Xiao. There was a question in his eyes, but he did not ask it aloud.
"Understood," he said.
"One more thing." Lin Xiao took an envelope from the drawer. It contained a thick stack of cash. "This is operating money. When you contact those people, spend what needs to be spent. But remember, this is not bribery. It is... an investment."
Grey Falcon accepted the envelope and weighed it in his hand.
"An investment?" he repeated.
"Yes," Lin Xiao said. "An investment in their 'hope for the future.'"
Grey Falcon fell silent for several seconds, then nodded.
"I understand."
He turned and left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Lin Xiao sat back down. The sunlight in the office had moved into the corner, its golden glow fading into a gentler warmth. The scent of paint had weakened, replaced by the mixed smell of paper and electronic equipment.
He activated the data terminal and began drafting the team's first weekly report.
At two in the afternoon, the meeting began on schedule.
The five people once again sat around the conference table. Work records lay before each of them—Su Ying's training plan draft, Wolf's communications network topology map, Nightingale's vulnerability scan report, Grey Falcon's supply list, and Anna's technical archive directory.
Lin Xiao listened to each report and nodded.
"The progress is acceptable," he said. "But Nightingale, what is this backdoor on Server Three in your vulnerability report?"
Nightingale pulled up the data on her tablet.
"It is a leftover flaw from an old firewall version," she said. "The system was installed three years ago and has never been updated. In theory, anyone with intermediate hacking skills could use that backdoor to gain server access. I have blocked it temporarily, but I recommend replacing the entire system."
"Write a formal report and submit it to the Technical Department," Lin Xiao said. "Use the name of the Deputy Security Supervisor. Set the priority to 'High.'"
"Understood."
"Wolf, how are the signal test results for your independent network?"
Wolf adjusted his glasses.
"Internal base coverage has reached ninety-two percent. There are seven blind spots within the five-kilometer external range, all caused by terrain obstruction. The encryption level is currently A-grade. Theoretically, it can withstand twenty-four continuous hours of attack from standard S.H.I.E.L.D. decryption equipment. But if they deploy higher-level resources..."
"Then upgrade it to AA-grade," Lin Xiao cut in. "If you lack equipment, have Grey Falcon get it. Money is not a problem."
Wolf nodded.
Lin Xiao turned his attention to Su Ying.
"I reviewed the training plan," he said. "The close-combat and weapons sections are fine, but for team tactical drills, you only arranged basic squad coordination. I need more complex scenarios—hostage rescue, building clearance, nighttime infiltration, and encounters with unconventional threats."
Su Ying frowned.
"Unconventional threats? Such as?"
"Creatures far faster than humans, invisible enemies, or people capable of mind control," Lin Xiao said calmly. "This world has more than guns and fists, Su Ying. What we may have to face could be something beyond all common sense."
The room fell silent for a moment.
The light from the screen reflected off Wolf's glasses. Nightingale's finger stopped moving over her tablet. Grey Falcon's expression grew serious, and Anna tightened her grip on her pen.
Only Su Ying had a glimmer flash through her eyes—not fear, but excitement.
"I'll revise the plan," she said.
"Good." Lin Xiao leaned back, lightly tapping his fingers against the table. "Now, let's talk about something else."
He paused, his eyes sweeping across every face.
"Why are you here?"
Nightingale blinked. "Because you recruited me?"
"That was the process, not the reason." Lin Xiao said. "What I'm asking is why you chose to stay, why you chose to follow me and work in this team."
Silence.
Grey Falcon spoke first, his voice rough and hoarse. "I worked in Logistics for eight years. Every day was just inventorying supplies, assigning vehicles, writing reports. Boring. Here... at least there's something to do."
Wolf adjusted his glasses. "Ninety percent of Hydra's Technical Department's time is spent maintaining outdated systems. Only ten percent is spent getting to work with anything new. The tasks you give me are challenging."
Anna's voice was very soft. "I... I want to do something useful. In the lab, I looked at those samples and those experiments every day, but I couldn't save anyone. Here, at least I can help living people."
Nightingale smiled. "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s network defenses are practically made of paper, and Hydra's aren't much better. Your team lets me play however I want without having to write self-criticism reports. Is that reason enough?"
Su Ying was the last to speak.
She looked at Lin Xiao directly, her gaze steady and unflinching.
"I've seen too many people," she said. "High-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. officials, Hydra officers, mercenary leaders... They either spoke endlessly of righteousness while being selfish underneath, or pursued power without even pretending otherwise. You're different. In the lab, you could have escaped alone, but you turned back to save us. At the meeting, you could have claimed all the credit, but you shared it with everyone. I don't know what you ultimately want to do, but at least for now, what you're doing is what a person ought to do."
Lin Xiao listened without expression.
A few seconds later, he spoke.
"Everything you said is right, but also wrong." His voice was calm, but every word was clear. "You stayed because there is something here that you want—challenge, purpose, respect, or simply an environment that feels human. But I need to tell you: those things are only the beginning."
He rose and walked to the window. The afternoon sunlight slanted in, stretching his shadow long.
"Hydra's slogan is, 'Cut off one head, and two more shall grow.'" With his back to the others, Lin Xiao's voice echoed through the room. "But its path has been soaked in blood, terror, and narrow-minded racism. It wants to control the world, but its methods are to create chaos, incite hatred, and provoke war. Such a path is doomed to fail."
He turned around, his eyes blazing.
"We need a New Order," he said. "An order built on reason, efficiency, and true control over the world—not its destruction. We need to become guardians in the shadows, not butchers in the spotlight."
The room fell deathly silent.
Dust drifted slowly through the sunlight.
"This world is changing," Lin Xiao continued. "Super-soldiers, alien technology, mysterious powers... The old structures of power are collapsing. S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to maintain superficial peace, but it has long since rotted from within. Hydra wants to rise amid the chaos, but its ideals have long been twisted. And we..."
He returned to the conference table and braced both hands against it.
"We can become a third force." His voice was low, yet full of power. "We act in the shadows, establish order amid chaos, and strangle crises before they arrive. We do not seek to rule the world. We seek to protect it—our way, with reason, with methods that truly work."
He looked at each of them.
Su Ying's gaze deepened, as though she were weighing the gravity of his words.
Behind Wolf's lenses, his eyes—usually half-lidded—were now fully open.
The scar on Grey Falcon's face looked even deeper in the light.
Anna's fingers tightened around her pen until her knuckles turned white.
And Nightingale—
Her eyes shone, and the corners of her lips curved upward as though she had discovered the most interesting secret in the world.
She murmured to herself, so softly that she was almost inaudible, yet in the silent room every word was clear:
"Sounds... much more interesting than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s bureaucracy and Hydra's madness."
Lin Xiao heard her.
He did not respond. He merely looked out the window.
In the base courtyard, soldiers were still training, their chants faintly carrying over. In the distant sky, clouds were gathering. It might rain.
And in this tiny office, a seed had already been planted.
It would take root in rotting soil, grow in the shadows, and one day break through the earth.
Before you continue